While growing up in the 1970s in Taylors, South Carolina, Louie Lewis remembers one item in particular: playing.
“It’s something we all did,” he said. “Whether we were in school, cutting grass during the summer, going to church or visiting relatives, play was almost always top of mind – but I don’t get to do it nearly as much anymore I used to.”
And he’s not alone.
For the last several decades, play – or physical activity as it’s called now – is hardly top of mind for too many adults and children alike.
And in the next decade, if the trend somehow doesn’t reverse itself, not only will more people be at risk for all kinds of ailments and diseases, the United States could soon be facing an even bigger health care crisis spanning several generations.
“Too many people are missing out on the health benefits of physical activity,” said David Ederer, epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta. “Getting enough physical activity could prevent 1 in 10 premature deaths. In the majority of U.S. states, more than 20% of adults report being inactive.”
The Southern states were the worst by region for highest prevalence of physical inactivity at 27.5%. However, the other regions aren’t trailing by much, with the Midwest, Northeast and the West averaging at the 23.6% level.
Dr. Ederer cited a number of factors for the tendency to be inactive, such as not enough parks and other safe spaces, inadequate street and sidewalk infrastructure and lack of time and social support.
“Strategies at the community level generally have greater reach and can result in longer lasting change than strategies focused on individual behavior,” he said. “Actions to improve physical activity opportunities can be taken across an entire community or within settings in the community, such as schools, community centers and indoor and outdoor recreation facilities.”
The United States is just one piece of the inactivity puzzle. Based on a June 2024 study by The World Health Organization, nearly 1.8 billion adults worldwide are at risk of disease because they don’t pay enough attention to physical activity. Additionally, researchers with Johns Hopkins Medicine warn that those who ignore the benefits of physical activity risk exposing themselves to an array of health issues, including:
• Cardiovascular disease. The leading cause of death in the United States since 1921, cardiovascular disease claimed the lives of more than 931,578 people in 2024, an increase of almost 3,000 from the previous year.
• High blood pressure. The American Heart Association estimates that in 2024, more than 122 million U.S. adults suffered from high blood pressure – about 47% of the adult population.
• Stroke. Each year in the United States, strokes affect about 795,000 people. Of this number, CDC reports that 610,000 are first-time victims.
• Type 2 diabetes. CDC also reports that about 1 in 10 Americans have diabetes, most of them with type 2, a chronic condition where the body doesn’t use insulin properly. More children, teens and young adults are developing type 2 diabetes than in the past.
Ederer pointed out that all of these diseases are preventable to a great degree with either simple lifestyle changes or continuing to practice healthy habits. For example, running, walking or even gardening on a regular basis can go a long way toward keeping your blood pressure and stress levels in proper balance.
For 6 through 17-year-olds, the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion recommends at least 60 minutes a day of moderate-to-vigorous activity to attain the most health benefits from physical activity.
“We used to play four hours a day if we could,” Lewis recalled. “I know the world isn’t the same now as then, but, even so, I can’t imagine kids not wanting to play – I can’t go very long without it in some form.”
Now, as then, physical activity can be anything aerobic that makes the heart beat faster – such as basketball, jumping rope, biking, lifting weights or doing push-ups – at least two days a week. The same is recommended for adults, and activities can include fast dancing and brisk walking.
Physical activity provides an excellent way to keep chronic diseases at bay, but it also can help in the fight against Alzheimer’s disease and obesity – which the CDC says affects about 40% of U.S. residents.
“Reducing physical inactivity requires a comprehensive approach from states, communities and individuals to make it easier for everyone to move more,” Ederer said. “Everyone has a role to play to increase physical activity where people live, learn, work and play.”
By L. C. Leach III
